May 2014 | Issue 5
Time to quit
The key topics this month are:
• Time to quit.
• PPC Worldwide/IPS has changed
its name to Optum.
• Five steps to staying healthy
in autumn.
• World No Tobacco Day.
If you have experienced difficulty trying to quit smoking or if you have stopped
in the past and taken it up again, did you blame yourself (I’m too weak…I’m
not motivated enough), your body (there’s something wrong with me…I just
can’t give up) or your circumstances (this just isn’t the right time for me)?
Smoking is an addiction that is made up of three parts: chemical addiction,
habits and emotional ties. While we can manage to remove the chemicals out
of our system over a few days, the main challenges of quitting are the
habits and the emotional ties associated with smoking. The way you think
about smoking affects your behaviour and how you feel emotionally makes it
difficult to follow a quit program and to stop for good.
While there are many good reasons to stop smoking, there are also reasons to
not quit too. Consider for a moment, what are some of the reasons you might
not want to quit? We all know that smoking is bad for our health but why do
we still continue? Take some time to write down the main things that are
stopping you.
You can see the dilemma you are in. You know smoking is not good for you but
on the other hand it does feel good…at least for a little while. So what does it
take in order to quit? A good place to start is your motivation. How motivated
are you? Livewell has ten great reasons to stop smoking. You may wish to visit
the website for inspiration.
The next step is to look at our patterns of smoking and our triggers. The more
we are aware of our triggers the more we can manage our smoking behaviour.
PPC Worldwide/IPS has changed
its name to Optum
Effective April 1, 2014, we have
consolidated the operations of PPC
Worldwide Pty Ltd and IPS under a new
company name of Optum Health &
Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd. You will
see marketing materials transition to the
new logo over the next few months.
Our commitment to service delivery
has not changed and will continue
to remain a top priority. For further
information, please contact your
HR department.
Triggers and high risk situations
First, tick the box next to each trigger which makes you want to light up a
cigarette. Use the space provided to write what you can do to manage your
triggers.
Feelings
What I can do to manage my triggers?
Anxious feelings
Feeling sad
After drinking alcohol
Worry
Stress
When I’m feeling depressed
Having extra money in
my pocket
Being fearful
about something
Boredom
When I’m mad or angry
Too much time alone
Overworked
Feelings of frustration
When I’m hungry
Feeling disappointed
Anniversary dates of losses or
trauma
When I’m really tired
Feeling overwhelmed with
responsibilities
Five steps to staying healthy
in Autumn
Boost your immunity and avoid colds and
flu this season.
1 Your diet
Eating foods that are high in vitamin C will
help keep your immune system strong, so
include fruit and vegies such as lemons,
kiwifruit, capsicum and broccoli in your
weekly shopping.
If you’re struggling to get the
recommended two serves of fruit and five
serves of vegies each day, try juicing them.
A blend of carrot, beetroot, spinach
and lemon is a stress-busting
combination that will boost your immune
system. Ensure your diet also includes
plenty of lean meats, fish, poultry, low-fat
dairy, legumes, wholegrains, nuts, seeds
and use lots of herbs and spices.
2 Exercise regularly
It’s vital to keep your workout regimen
up during autumn, with a recent study
showing that a moderate level of regular
exercise has a long-term cumulative effect
on immune response. Don’t go overboard
as overly strenuous exercise releases the
stress hormone cortisol in the body, which
can weaken the immune system.
3 Stay connected
When it comes to triggers, awareness is your first line of defence. Once you
become aware, talk to a trusted friend, go for a walk or simply wait it out.
Create a list of things you can do to help you manage your triggers. Livewell
has a five step programme that can assist you in your journey to quit
smoking and ideas on how to manage your triggers. For example, breaking the
association between the habit and the emotional ties associated with smoking is
tricking your brain out of doing things that it associates with having a cigarette.
Think about what you do in the morning. Maybe you have your first cigarette of
the day with a cup of coffee? Breaking the association might involve switching
a morning coffee for a morning tea. Your brain does not associate having a tea
with a cigarette so this may help alleviate the craving.
Socialising helps strengthen your immune
system by keeping you active and reducing
your stress levels, so avoid the temptation
to rug up on the couch all autumn. Invite
friends over for dinner or host a games
night, visit local museums and art
galleries, wrap up warm and go for a
walk in the park with your family or plan a
cinema date with your partner.
4 Scrub up
Frequent hand washing is one of the best
ways to avoid getting sick and spreading
illness as it limits the transfer of bacteria,
viruses and other microbes, according to
the Mayo Clinic in the US. This is
important during autumn when we tend
to cough and sneeze more frequently.
Wet your hands and lather up with soap
for 20 seconds to help dislodge germs and
rinse well under running water.
Why you should quit
5 Sleep well
The more you smoke the greater the likelihood of risk. Tobacco continues to be
one of the single greatest causes of preventable death globally. While not every
heavy smoker will die of a smoker’s disease, the risk of it is greater than if you
are a social smoker or non-smoker.
Lack of sleep can have a serious effect
on your immune system, making you
more vulnerable to catching colds. This
can also result in a substantial decrease
in the white blood cells that help to
fight infection in the body.
Doctors use ‘pack-years’ as one method of determining level of risk – smoking
one pack a day every day for a year counts as one pack-year. So a pack-a-day
smoker who has smoked for seven years has seven pack-years
accumulated. Whereas someone who only smokes one pack per week for 14
years has only two pack-years accumulated, and as such is at a lower level
of risk.
Cutting down on pack-years will lessen the risk, as well as making it easier to
quit completely in the future. While there is no truly ‘safe’ level of smoking,
even incremental steps in reducing smoking can have positive impact on
your health.
Predicted Lung Capacity (%)
Smoking exposure and decline in lung function
85
Sustained Quitters
80
75
Intermittent Quitters
70
Continuous Smokers
65
60
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Year
Call to action
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Identify your reasons to quit. Include both short and long-term benefits.
Identify your high risk situations and how you will deal with them.
Prepare yourself before you start your journey. For example, dispose of ash
trays, lighters and other paraphernalia that reminds you of smoking.
Break the association between smoking and pleasurable events.
Implement strategies to quit. For example, use distractions when you
have cravings.
Set a quit date, and get rid of all of your cigarettes by that date.
Manage your emotions if/when you have a setback. Avoid negative
self-talk.
Get more exercise. It relieves the urge to smoke.
Make a plan about what you will do instead of smoking when stressed or
other times you have the urge for tobacco. Be as specific as possible.
Avoid smoke-filled settings and situations in which you are more likely
to smoke.
Access Optum EAP counselling for support.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine, such
as listening to soft music or soaking in a
warm bath. Avoid watching TV or using
your computer just before bedtime and
turn the lights down low an hour before
you turn in for the night, as it will boost
the release of melatonin in the brain.
Also try to go to bed and get up at the
same time every day, even on weekends.
Resources to quit smoking
World No Tobacco Day
You may find a variety of interactive tools on www.quit.org.au. Click on the
following links to:
Every year, on the 31st of May, the World
Health Organisation (WHO) and partners
worldwide mark World No Tobacco Day,
highlighting the health risks associated
with tobacco use and advocating for
effective policies to reduce tobacco
consumption. Tobacco use is the single
most preventable cause of death globally
and is currently responsible for 10% of
adult deaths worldwide.
•
Estimate how much you are spending on cigarettes:
http://www.quit.org.au/reasons-to-quit/cost-of-smoking
•
See the health risks of smoking:
http://www.quit.org.au/reasons-to-quit/health-risks-of-smoking
•
See the health benefits of quitting:
http://www.quit.org.au/reasons-to-quit/health-benefits-of-quitting
The ultimate goal of World No Tobacco
Day is to contribute to protecting present
and future generations not only from the
devastating health consequences due to
tobacco, but also from the social,
environmental and economic scourges
of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco
smoke.
Specific goals of the 2014 campaign are:
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Governments increase taxes on
tobacco to levels that reduce
tobacco consumption.
Individuals and civil society
organisations encourage their
governments to increase taxes
on tobacco to levels that
reduce consumption.
Support
Optum can support you in times of need and explore possible strategies that will assist you to re-balance your life as soon as
possible. Call us today.
Australia 1300 361 008
www.quit.org.au | www.cancer.org.au
Sources:
New Zealand
0800 155 318
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